# Profane Traffic Lights Manhattan Prankster Gives Crosswalk Lights the Finger By Tisah Tucknott | Published 2009-05-18 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/street-pranks-crosswalk-light-manhattan References: [gearfuse](http://www.gearfuse.com/category/displays/) An urban prankster in Manhattan, New York, recently altered a crosswalk sign into a hand gesture that comes across as slightly indecent. This unique alteration shows off the prankster’s ingenious idea to transform the traditional stop hand signal into a sign with a little less class and a little more spice. **Implications** - The recession caused widespread [feelings of angst and discontent](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/punch-your-client). Some street artists chose to express their agitation with [subversive graffiti and hacked billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beige-billboards), while other [urban pranksters modified public signs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pocket-protests) and signals to demonstrate their feelings. Pranks have always been a part of modern culture, but these recession-era escapades reached viral fame through Internet photo- and video-sharing sites. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 1% | Activity: 53% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Humor](https://www.trendhunter.com/humor) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Subversive Street Art:** Opportunity for artists to express discontent and provoke conversations through unconventional public displays. - **Viral Pranks:** Chance for pranksters to gain widespread attention and create internet sensations through humorous or controversial actions. - **Hacked Signage:** Innovation potential in modifying traditional public signage to convey alternative messages and challenge societal norms. ### Where This Applies - **Art and Design:** Artists can explore subversive forms of expression to engage audiences and spark dialogue. - **Digital Media:** Platforms for sharing pranks and viral content can thrive by providing an outlet for creative and attention-grabbing activities. - **Signage and Advertising:** Companies involved in producing and maintaining public signage could consider innovative approaches to traditional messaging to capture attention and stand out from the crowd. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mwcurated.md) - [Gesture-Controlled Turn Signal Armbands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flasher-armbands.md) - [Pedestrian-Detecting Crosswalks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-pedestrian-crosswalk.md) - [Statement Street Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surreal-street-art-1.md) - [Playfully Branded Crosswalks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oreo-walks.md) - [Enigmatic Graffiti Incidents](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/enigmatic-graffiti.md) - [Polite Driver Communication Lights](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sorry-thanks-car-sign.md) - [Cheeky Inaccurate Language Museums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/museum-of-wonky-english.md) - [Food-Inspired Street Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dish-pics.md)